Dispensing casing for collapsible tube, with roller-type squeezer for said tube



Dec. 11, 1951 J, w. GuNNARsoN 2,578,472

DISPENSING CASING FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBE, WITH ROLLER-TYPE SQUEEZER FOR SAID TUBE Filed March 15, 1949 2 SHEETS-.SHEET 1 I IIII I III l:

John W. Gunnarson nnnlllllull'l'nulillllllunmlm Dec. 11, 1951 Filed March 15, 1949 J. w. GUNNARsoN 2,578,472 DISPENSING CASING FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBE, WITH ROLLER-TYPE SQUEEZER FOR SAID TUBE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 vgl g f a I r r 5 20 .5 r 5 r r f f I l a T26 T40 r A l /4 l2 r \2 l r r Il f f l l l r .I f l A r l l f f l l i i f f l l 50 52 a f f f /8\/ A 54 l ff f l n rl i 62 ao Inventor J0 hn W. Gunn arson Patented Dec. l1, 1951 OFFICE DISPENSING CASENG FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBE, t/TJITH RGLLER-TYPE SQUEEZER.

FOR` SAID TUBE .lohn W. Gunnarson, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 15, i949, Serial No. 81,446

This. invention relates to new and useful irnprovements and structural refinements in dispensers. for collapsibietubes, the invention particularly concerning itself with the dispensing of tooth paste, and the principal object of the invention is to facilitate convenient and expeditious dispensing of tooth paste directly on a tooth brush.

This object is achieved by the provision of a dispenser` including a housing adapted to receive therein a collapsible tube of tooth paste, together with means provided in the housing for collapsing the tube for the purpose of ejecting the contents thereof.

An important feature of the invention resides inthe provision of means inthe dispenser for receiving a tooth brush so that the tooth may be deposited directly thereon, and another feature involves the provision of a closure for the outlet o1' discharge passage of the dispenser, g

which closure is automatically opened and closed by the respective insertion and removal of the tooth brush in and from the dispenser.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its convenient adaptability to replacement of the collapsible tube when the contents thereof are exhausted, in its pleasing appearance, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in View and such other object-s and features as may become apparent as this specication proceeds,v theY invention consist-s essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention;` y

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view thereof, this being taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken Substantially in the plane of the line 3 3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional View, taken substantially in the plane of the line ll-fl in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 5-5 in Figu ure 2;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional View, taken substantially in the plane of the line t-- in Figure 2; and

Figure 7 isa perspective view of the traveler used in the invention.

1 Claim. (Cl. Z22- 102) Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a dispenser for collapsible tubes, the saine being designated generally by the reference character ill and ernbodying in its construction a vertically elongated housing l2 which has' an open bottom and is adapted to receive therein a collapsible tube N in an inverted position, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

A block-shaped bottom member it is provided intermediate the height thereof with a perimetric step il! so that it may be removably inserted in the open bottom of the housing i2, and any suitable conventional means may be employed for retaining the bottom member l5 in position.

A vertical guide 2li has the lower end portion thereof suitably secured in the bottom member i5 and extends upwardly into the housing l2, and what may be referred to as a traveler 22 is slidable vertically on the guide 2D, as will be presently described.

The traveler 22 is substantially U-shaped, as is best shown in .Figure 7, and one side portion 24 thereof is provided with a pair of inturned ears 2S which slidably engage longitudinal side edge 'portions of the guide 2G, as indicated in Figures Il and The intermediate portion 2B of the traveler 22 is formed with an elongated slot or opening at 30 through which the tube i4 may freely project, and it is to be noted that the remaining side portion S, as well as the side portion 2d of the traveler 22 are provided with a set of axially aligned apertures 34, 36 to rotatably receive a pair of shafts 38, it respectively. These shafts are disposed in spaced parallel relation and are provided withy the respective rollers 42, Ml which, in turn, are adapted to engage the relatively opposite sides of the tube it for the purpose of squeezing or collapsing the tube, as will be clearly apparent. rThe shafts 38, 40 together with the rollers 42, 44 are simultaneously rotatable, this being effected by providing the shafts with a pair of meshing gears 4t, as shown.

The entire traveler 22, together with the shafts 38, lill and rollers ft2, i4 is disposed in the housing l2, with exception of the shaft 40, one end portion of which projects outwardly from the housing through a vertical slot 4B with which the housing is provided, as is best shown in Figure 1.

The customary screw threaded outlet neck 50 with which the collapsible tube I4 is usually equipped is threaded into a bushing 52 provided in the aforementioned bottom member I of the housing l2 (see Figure 2) and it is to be also noted that the bottom member I6 is formed with a discharge passage 54 which communicates with the front portion of a substantially horizontal channel 56 provided in the member I6, as indicated in Figures 2 and 6. It will be apparent from the foregoing that when the shaft lill is rotated by means of an actuating knob 58, affixed to the outwardly projecting portion of the shaft 4B, the rotating rollers 42, 44 will collapse the tube i4 and will travel downwardly thereon, thus ejecting the contents of the tube through the passage 54 into the channel 55.

However, means are provided for closing the outlet of the passage 55 when the contents of the tube lli are not being dispensed, these means consisting of a closure member 58 which is slid able in the channel 55, being provided at the upper longitudinal edges thereof with laterally projecting guides 60 which are slidable in longitudinal grooves 62 formed in the upper portion of the channel 56, as is best illustrated in Figures 3 and 6.

The closure member 58 is slidable forwardly and rearwardly in the channel 55, and when it is in its forwardly slid position, it covers the outlet of the discharge passage 5d, as shown in Figure 2. Resilient means are provided for urging the closure member 58 to this forwardly slid position, these means consisting of a tubular guide 54 which is screw-threaded as at 66 into the bottom niember I6 and extends into the channel 55, while a rod 68, equipped with a plunger 75, is slidable in the guide 64 and is secured to the closure member 58, as at l2.

A compression spring 'M is positioned on the rod 88 between the guide 65 and the closure member 58, whereby the latter is urged to its forwardly slid position, as will be clearly understood.

However, when the invention is placed in use, a tooth brush may be pressed against the closure member 5%, to slide the latter rearwardly in the direction of the arrow at 16 (see Figure 2), thus uncovering the outlet of the discharge passage 54. Thereupon, while the brush is held in position in the channel 56, the knob 58 may be rotated as at 18, so that a portion of the contents of the tube I4 is ejected or discharged on the brush. After the brush is withdrawn from the channel 56, the spring 'F4 will automatically return the closure member 58 to its closed position, thus protecting the contents of the tube Ill from harmful effect of the atmosphere.

It is to be noted that an end portion of the tubular guide 64 is provided with an inturned ange 80 which is engageable by the plunger 'i0 and thereby functions as a stop for preventing the closure member 58 from traveling too far in the outward direction. Moreover, it is to be noted that the front surface of the afore- 4 mentioned guide 20 may be provided with a vertical channel or groove S2 to provide sufcient clearance for end portions of the aforementioned shaft 53, 50 as indicated in Figures 4 and 5.

1t is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a dispenser for collapsible tubes, the combination of a vertically elongated housing adapted to receive an inverted collapsible tube therein and including a back wall and a front wall provided with a vertical slot, a vertical guide strap positioned in said housing and spaced forwardly from said back wall, an inverted U-shaped fiat plate carrier movable upwardly and downwardly in said housing and consisting of a flat horizontal bight portion and front and rear Iianges depending therefrom, said bight portion being provided with an opening whereby to pass downwardly over a collapsed tube, a pair of rearwardly and inwardly extending ears provided at the opposite side edges of the rear flange forming inwardly facing channels and slidable on respective opposite side edges of said guide strap, a pair of spaced parallel shafts rotatably jourfnailed in said front and rear flanges, a pair of tube engaging rollers provided on the respective shafts between said flanges, a pair of meshing gears secured to the respective shafts at one end of said rollers whereby rotation of one is transmitted to the other, one of said shafts projecting forwardly and outwardly from said front wall through said slot, and an actuating knob secured to the projecting shaft portion.

JOHN W. GUNNARSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,154,391 Gee Sept. 21, 1915 1,432,644 Uber Oct. 17, 1922 1,601,468 Brownworth Sept. 28, 1926 1,842,000 Winsor Jan. 19,1932 1,989,575 Wandel Jan. 29, 1935 2,001,983 Spiros May. 21, 1935 2,183,060 Blake Dec. 12, 1939 2,251,574 ONeill Aug. 5, 1941 

